HALIFAX: Provincial funding will help regional emergency management organizations (REMOs) prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.
Seven organizations will receive regional emergency readiness grants for essentials, such as communications infrastructure, staff, shared office spaces and training to ensure communities are better prepared for emergencies.
The grants total about $1 million.
“The Long Lake and Lake George wildfires this summer showed us how important it is to have a strong, co-ordinated emergency response,” said Kim Masland, Minister of Emergency Management.
“We have such a resilient province, and we want to keep building off 2025’s successes and supporting REMOs as local leaders in emergency management.”
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The funding is for projects spanning one to four years.
The organizations receiving funding are in Colchester, Cumberland, Pictou, Digby, Lunenburg, Shelburne and Guysborough counties.
Regional emergency management organizations play a crucial role in emergency planning and providing prompt, co-ordinated responses in their area. They are activated to provide centralized co-ordination when emergencies become too large for local agencies to handle alone.
The Department of Emergency Management sets the standards these organizations must achieve; this funding will help them meet and surpass these standards.
Quotes:
“The Pictou County Regional Emergency Measures Organization is very pleased to receive this funding, which will directly support our efforts to strengthen regional emergency preparedness and ensure we continue to meet our legislative responsibilities under the new Emergency Preparedness and Nova Scotia Guard Act.
“This investment helps us enhance co-ordination among our six municipal partners and Pictou Landing First Nation to maintain the emergency management systems and training necessary to keep our communities safe and resilient when emergencies occur.”
— Evan Hale, Director of Emergency Services, Municipality of the County of Pictou
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“Yarmouth County REMO is committed to the safety of residents and protection of property in emergencies. With the increase of emergency events across Nova Scotia, more work is needed to be prepared, to respond and recover.
“The regional emergency management organization funding will help Yarmouth County be more prepared and more resilient.”
— Glenn Diggdon, Chair, Yarmouth County REMO
Quick Facts:
– there are 11 regional emergency management organizations across Nova Scotia
– those not listed above can still apply for funding (some were busy co-ordinating emergency responses during the application period, while municipal membership in others is still in progress)
– the Department also administers the Emergency Services Provider Fund, which provides grants for equipment to departments, hazardous materials units and ground search and rescue crews; it also has a new regional component this year